


The Commander's Folly

by GntlmnBstrd



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 20:06:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12217989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GntlmnBstrd/pseuds/GntlmnBstrd
Summary: Ashavise Lavellan is being followed through haven and she's had about enough.





	The Commander's Folly

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this at about 3 AM, so I'm hoping it makes sense. It might continue, but if it does it probably won't have any overarching narrative.

Ashavise’s patience was wearing extremely thin. The shem Templar had been following her since breaking her fast and it was already approaching midday. At first, she thought he had wanted something from her but whenever she would turn around, he would quickly try to move out of her line of sight. She could easily give him the slip, but that would only be a temporary solution. She contemplated confronting him, but assumed he would just deny that he’d been following her. Killing him would have been easy, and satisfying, but would have most likely been more trouble in the long run. So she made her way to the one person that seemed to know everything that happened in Haven. She found her target poring over some documents inside what had become known as, ‘The Nightingale’s Tent’. The area surrounding the tent was deserted; it seemed most everyone in haven was giving the spymaster a wide berth, not wanting to risk her wrath. She made just enough noise as she approached so Leliana would notice her arrival.

Leliana heard the Herald’s arrival, but continued reading the report from her scouts in the Hinterlands. “What can I do for you, Lady Lavellan?” Leliana asked, without turning from the report she was poring over.

Asha sighed. “I really wish you would just call me Asha, I would even settle for just ‘Lavellan’.”

Leliana turned and gave her a smile that was mostly genuine; it held only the slightest hint of murder. She knew Lavellan hated being referred to using human titles, but they had decided it was in the Inquisition’s best interests to do so for the foreseeable future. “I know, but a certain level of formality is necessary in public, after all. Considering your distaste for being referred to as _Herald,_ ‘Lady Lavellan’ is an acceptable compromise, no? ”

Asha sighed. “It is better than _Herald_ , but only because it doesn’t make me sound like some fat, middle aged, human man. Can you really blame me for hating it?”

Leliana let out a small chuckle at that.

“No, I can’t. I don’t think I would enjoy it any more than you do,” Leliana said.

“I certainly doubt you could like it any less.”

Leliana gave the young elf a genuine smile. “Well, let’s hope I never have to find out, I have more than enough titles as it is.”

Ash gave her a smile in return. “I don’t think that’s likely.” She paused for a moment, listening to the Templar that had been following her. He was trying to quietly get close enough to listen in on their conversation. “I know he’s not one of yours. I know when your people are around, they don’t watch me, they watch everyone _but_ me…” she paused thinking about who she was talking to, and chuckled at a thought “well, I guess he could be yours and you simply wanted him removed without having to do it yourself.”

“No, he is certainly not one of mine. I should be insulted the thought even crossed your mind,” Leliana said, her smile taking any bite out of her words.

“So the question is whether someone else assigned him to watch me, or whether he has a death wish and is following me on his own.” Asha glanced toward where the Templar was hiding on the other side of the tent’s walls. “Honestly, for a while I thought he _wanted_ me to see him.”

Leliana followed Asha’s eyes to where the Templar’s shadow was cast on the wall of the tent, clearly visible to the two women inside, and shook her head. “It really is pathetic, isn’t it?” She asked rhetorically. “He is one of Cullen’s men, I believe.”

Asha’s gaze hardened at the mention of the former Knight-Captain, their interactions so far being tense at best. “I’m assuming this was an order, since he would be out on the training field otherwise. Which means Cullen is the one with the death wish.”

Leliana thought about letting Lavellan loose on the man for longer than was truly necessary, but ultimately knew it was not for the best. “Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone else to head our forces, so do try to refrain from actually killing him.”

Asha looked the spymaster directly in the eyes. “Fine, I won’t kill him, I give you my word. However, I do remember saying that I will not tolerate Templars interfering with me in any way, and that if they tried there would be _consequences_.” She finished with a snarl, emphasizing the last word.

“I do not believe that our dear commander understood what you meant when you said that, otherwise he would not have sent one of his soldiers to follow you. He is stubborn but not a fool.”

Asha looked irritated. “I thought I made myself clear. You and Josephine understood what I meant, even _Cassandra_ understood what I meant.”

Leliana chuckled at that. “We did indeed; your tone and body language were crystal clear to someone with even an ounce of intuition. However, that man is as dense as they come; I believe he underestimates you, as most probably do.”

A truly haunting smile spread across Asha’s face, out of place on the normally cheerful young woman. It would have unnerved almost anyone but the woman facing her. “He’s not taking me seriously; there have been many humans who have done so, a mistake that usually ends with your head no longer attached to your body. I wonder if it’s because I’m a woman or because I am an elf.”

“A bit of both, if I had to guess. I would ask that you allow me to handle this matter, if you would. I believe I can get the point across without damaging anything but the man’s pride.”

Asha shot Leliana a questioning look. “I trust you more than any other human here, but I would like to know how you intend to deal with this, before I agree to let you handle it.”

Leliana turned back to her work table and smiled at the confession, pleased to know she had built even a small amount of trust with the young woman. “Having someone, especially a Templar, so obviously following you around, makes it look like we don’t trust you. It makes you seem like a threat, and that is a view we cannot allow to spread, far too much hinges on you being accepted by the people.” Leliana turned to face Asha once more, a truly devious smile spread across her face and her eyes shone with mischief. “My plan is simple; I am going to tell Josie what he’s done.”

Asha’s laughter started as a small chuckle before increasing in intensity. She struggled to rein it in while imagining the look on the commander’s face as an unhappy Josephine descended upon him. She had seen Josephine when she was truly displeased only once and Asha had solemnly vowed to never let herself become the focus of the Ambassador’s Ire. It took several moments before she could speak again. “I am certain unleashing the Ambassador on him is crueler than anything I would have done.” The laughter tried to rise once more before Asha could push it down for good. “Very well, I will allow you and Josephine to handle this, although I will want to find a good spot to watch. You will tell me where they end up meeting, won’t you?”

Leliana gave her a smile before turning back to her reports. “Of course, I’ll save you a seat.”


End file.
